29 January, 2007

Charles: Dapper; Camilla: Dowdy; Body in Schuylkill: Dead

I saw Prince Charles this weekend, albeit inadvertently. You see, I was on my way to get a burrito coming home from work. I'm riding home on Saturday and heading South on Broad St. from Arch. I make the turn around City Hall, and my first thought was 'why the hell is there a huge tent blocking the whole street?' I get around the tent, which is crawling with security, and there's this huge crowd surrounding the Academy of Music.

I asked some dude what was going on and he said that Prince Charles was coming. First thought: I wonder how long it'll take the Philly traffic cops to nail his limo with a ticket because he's got out of state plates. Second thought: okay, I'll bite. It wasn't too cold out, so I figured I'd wait and catch a glimpse of the dude. For reference, I was standing under the lit-up A in the top left of that picture.

I did, and he's just that. A dude. Just a guy. It's not like he threw out gold ducats or anything, he just walked inside; and yet there was an enormous crowd, many of whom came just to see the guy. I happened to be passing by, but I still stuck around. Later I found out that there were other people there I would have been immeasurably more excited to see, including Tom Brokaw and Rod Stewart. You know, people who built their fame on a talent instead of a birthright. Not to say I don't respect Prince Charles for, you know, his position in the world and the immense influence, if not actual power, he holds. Still, Rod Stewart is the business.

Not as exciting as the body Gwen saw getting pulled from the Schuylkill around the same time. Welcome to Phily, Chaz.

A man in my office seems to have purchased a new coat over the weekend. It also seems that he shops in the same department as a girl at my second job, who was wearing the exact same coat (smaller of course) only yesterday.

I was listening to Immortal Technique at 9:20 am. this morning. I realized about 3 songs in to the album that it was much to early for such incisive political commentary in an aggressive hip hop format. He's one very very angry dude. Seriously, I'd love to hear him rap about like, Fruit Loops for a minute. I wish I A. had a copy of the Neutral Milk Hotel CD that was playing at work on Sunday and B. knew what the CD was in the first place. As a sidenote, you know the rest of your day is going to go well when you think to yourself at around 1:00 pm "You know, I'd really like to listen to STYX right about now."

Musically related, Mates of State is one of those bands that's just sickening to listen to, but much like the Ben and Jerry's Cinnamon Cookie ice cream, you don't know when you've had enough until it's too late. That said, Kori of Mates of State is keeping a weekly journal at Babble about what it's like being on tour with her two year old daughter. For those not familiar, her husband is the other half of the band, so the child isn't being abandoned.

It's pretty interesting to read, for the novelty value if nothing else. Also, their daughter was hanging out with Death Cab for Cutie. She's two. There are 18 year-old fat girls who would give their lifesblood to be in her position. Except they can't; because they're fat. Go read it.

Ever have that one song you know you want to hear but can't remember the name of it, and you search your itunes for like, an hour but can't get it? That song is always Lou Reed's "Andy's Chest" for me. Except right now, I can remember the name AND artist. That happens approximately never. I love the line about honey bears in that particular song, but when I'm searching through itunes and listening to the opening five or so seconds of a song, I can't catch the particular rhythm since the opening of "Andy's Chest" is very different from the part of the song I enjoy.

There are more such songs in my life, but, predictably, I can't remember any of them at the moment.

Okay, so the holiday bush is almost completely gone. All that remains is the strand of lights, sitting alone on the desk. HOWEVER, a new desk friend has appeared. It's a giant glass vase, square, with those chintzy little clear rocks in the bottom. Also, it's filled with giant banana-leaf looking things. And water; at least a gallon of it. I wish it had goldfish...

Tony Pierce of LAist has some funny stuff over at the busblog. A choice quote from Sunday:

"i also dont like hillary because shes stiff. stiffness used to mean that you were hiding something.

people didnt used to like al gore because he was stiff. turned out what he was hiding was all his radness. people dont call al gore stiff any more.

when barack wins al gore should be the environment tsar, bill clinton should be nominated for the supreme court, and al sharpton should be the press secretary."